Warp knitting machine



Peb. 5, 194e. A, F, .,.lORENnNO- 2,394,1ei

WARP KNITTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 1s, 1942 5 sheets-sheet 1 ATTORN EYS Feb- 5,11946- A. F. FIORENTINO' 2,394,151

WARP KNITTING vMACHINE Filed Aug. 18, 3 Sheds-Sheet 2 Feb. 5, 1946. .A. F. FloRl-:NTINO 2,394,151

" WAR? KNITTING MACHINE Y Filed Aug. 18, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet5 INVENTOR n.5 FMG mi NW9@ rMH/ y ATTORNEYS.

APatented Feb. 5,

WARP KNITTING MACHINE Anthuny F. Fiorentino, Temse-k, N. J., assignmto Alfred Hofmann & Company, West New York, N. J., a 'corporation of New Jersey applicati August 1s, 1942, Segal No. 455,186

as claims. (ci. sc-'4m This invention relates to warp-knitting machines, this referring to a well known class of knitting wherein numerous warp yarns are fed' from one or more supplies orreels and through one or more banks of yarn guides for manipulation into a warp-knitted fabric by cooperation with other conventional knitting instruments.

The invention is herein illustratively shown as applied to the kind of high-speed warp-knitting machine designated as a tricot machine, of straight type, adapted for the production of socalled tricot or ribbed fabrics such as are adapted for the manufacture of 'gloves and many other products. Tricot machines are sometimes of dou- -ble construction, so that-two series of'warp yarns may be fed to the knitting point and mutually tricot fabric, and such a machine is herein disclosed as a convenient basis for` explaining the principles fof the present invention. As practical instances of tricot knitting machines reference may be made to theprior patents of V. Anderson No. 2,254,201, issued September 21941, and No. 2,273,246, issued February 16, 1942. The general class of machine lthus being known, the entire,

construction thereof'is not herein disclosed, .but only suiiicient thereof for clear explanation of interlooped in the production of so-called double illustrative embodiment of the invention. To the attainment'of such objects and advantages the invention consists in the novel warp-knitting machine and the novel features of operation, combination, arrangement and construction herein illustrated or described.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a left end elevation view of a warp.

.knitting machine of the straight type, and of the double tricot kind, embodying the features of the present invention. Fig. 1 is a separate view of Dart of Fis. l.

Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the left end of the machine, including the parts seen in Fig. l, and

on the same scale. Fig. 3 is ,a righthand or inside elevation view taken in section on the line l,

3 3 of Fig. 2, but on a considerably smaller scale.

Fig. 4, looking from lthe front, is a sectional zo view of a part of the mechanism, taken on the the principles and matters pf novelty of the Dresf ent invention.

In said Patent No. 2,273,246 the improvement is directed more particularly to the lower or yarnknitting portion oi the machine, the banks of yarn guides or eyes, needles, sinkers and other knitting instruments being shown, with their manipulating mechanisms; whereas the general object of the present invention is .to improveyat the upper portion of the machine, the yarn-feeding'- or supplying means, in a manner to give eilicient,

correct and reliable control of the feed of theyarn to the knitting point by simple, and durable mechanical means.

A particular object of this improvement is to convenient ensure, in the successive knitting cycles, the requsite and accurate extent of yarn feed from the conventional overhead supply, reel or beam, with iiow ofthe sheet of yarns over a responsive or iioating yarn guide or tension rod to the knitting point, as called for by the cycle, and to afford an improved action in the control of the drive of the reel, with variable or intermittent rotation, and substantially providing continuous and responsive control lof 'yarn 'feed throughout each cycle. Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be Aexplained or indicated in the hereinafter following description vof an 55 the knitting point, as shown in Fig. 1, is a rod or section line I-l of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional view of certain gearing taken on the section line 5--5 of Fig. 4, looking from the left.

Fig. 6 is a partial left elevation view, corresponding partly with Fig. 1, but showing a modiication of the yarn guiding and feed controlling means.

The yarns and certain parts hereof correspond generally with those illustrated in said Patent No. 2,273,246. Thus the warp threads y are shown in Fig. 1 as passing downwardly from the supplies, front and rear, to where they pass through guides or eyes y', there being front and rear series or banks thereof, carried upon a yarn guide carrier `bar Y, one of the knitting instruments, which may swing frontward andl backward and move end- 'extended longitudinal length, for example sumcient to accommodate. several thousand warp yarns and the instruments for manipulating them. The heavy general frame may comprise lower cross-frames 9 upon which are supported upper cross frames III, as shown also in Figs. 2 and 3'; and the several sets of 'cross frames may be interconnected by the heavy frame longitudinals Il., Somewhat higher than, and vertically above rockslnaft I3 which, in the case of doubleatricot knitting, may carry a drop bracket I4 on which the yarn guide eyes are mounted adapted to receive conventional motions in carrying out the knitting process. Of the rotating shafts oi the machine a constantly turning cam shaft I5 is shown, from which actuation is herein derived for the feed mechanism to be described. The elements thus far described have in general the same reference characters as in said patent.

The forked or Y-shape upper frame walls I0 at the two ends carry the longitudinal warp beams or hollow reel shafts I6, front and rear, upon which the removable reels are keyed, each consisting of a hollow core l1 with attached reel anges I8, all held in longitudinal position on each shaft I9 by collars I9, adjustably set upon the shaft alongside of the two reel flanges.

Considering Fig. 1 as a left elevation, the reel at the right of said gure is the front reel of the machine, the other being considered as the rear reel. With this understanding. the control mechanism for the front reel is at the left end of the machine, as shown in Figs. 1-3, while the rear reel has no control mechanism at the left end, but only a simple journalling of its shaft in the rear fork of the cross wall IU, this rear reel having its control mechanism at the right end of the machine, and the two control mechanisms being preferably identical, so that a right end elevation of the machine would be identical with Fig. 1, and a rear view of the right end identical with Fig. 2. The control of the feed movement of each of the two reels is thereby rendered independent of the other, and interference between control mechanisms is whollysavoided. With this understanding, very little further need be said in regard to the rear reel and its shaft.

The front reel shaft I9 preferably has each end of reduced diameter, and turning in the cross frames I0. Thus, at its left end the reel shaft is shown as having an attached reduced extension 20, journalled by ball bearings in the frame I0, and with a collar 2| set upon the shaft end, preventing endwise shifting of the shaft. The shaft extension is enlarged at its right hand end, forming a head or plug 22 entering and filling the left end of the hollow reel shaft with a sliding ht, permitting the removal of the shaft for changing the reel thereon. Surrounding the left end of the hollow shaft is a clamped collar 23, removable at will.

For the'purpose of communicating drive to theA reel shaft there is shown, attached by bolts 2l to the collar 23, the hub 25 of a gear 26 which is in constant mesh with a smaller' gear 4I on a driven countershaft l0; to be more fully described. A housing 21 is shown attached to the inner side vof the cross frame I0 and enclosing'the gears 26 and 4I.-

On the reel or warp beam I1 the multiplicity of threads or yarns is specially wound in a conventional manner, the successively positioned `yarns forming a series of contacting spirals, so

that during feeding from the supply the yarns may travel downwardly as a bank or sheet of warps, not attempted to bei shown on Fig. 2, but

. indicated on Fig. 1 by dot-and-dash lines y.

seen to be symmetrical'at the front and rear. Thus referring tothe front reel this is so placed and over a floating or tension guide rod 29, acting as acontrolling pilot as will be described. the yarns passing thence downwardly and rearwardly, converging with the other yarn-sheet toward the knitting point.l y

Each of the pilot guide rods 29 is mounted for reverse movements along the path of yarn iiow,

for example toward and from the knitting point, by means 'of two or more carrying arms 30, carryingthe tension rods 29 at their free ends, and swingable about an axle 3l, which is preferably a rockaxle upon which the carrying arms are secured. and the controlling action of which will be further described. Thus, during each knitting or loop-forming cycle, as the needles and other instruments require additional yarn at one point of the cycle, yielding it back to the supply at another point, the pilot or floating tension rod, resiliently positioned as willbe described, is adapted to undergo movements conforming the supply of yarn to the needs of the knitting cycle; these actions being accompanied, through cycle after cycle of knitting, by the gradualstep-bystep advance or rotation of the supply reel as the yarn' is consumed by the progress of the knitting, all under the complete and' accurate control of feed as will be further described.

The rockaxle 3i constitutes an important control 'element of the mechanism,`rocking with the swing of the arms 30 in response to the varying -pu11 or release of the needles and yarns upon the polished tension 4rod 29. The driving and braking means for the reel shaft, tobe described, may be effectively controlled by connections from the responsive ,rockaxle 3l, the left end of which may be considered as a shipper axle, operating the device to be described for changing or shipping between drivlng and braking conditions.

In order to hold normally elevated the floating tension rod 29A and arms 30, the shipper extension of rockaxle 3| is provided with a rockarm 33, .projecting frontwardly and pressed or held upwardly by a long yvertical helical spring 34 under some compression. At the top of the spring is a block or head 35 bearing against the rock- 'arm 33, while a long vertical rod 36 is arranged for its upper end to move slidingly through'the spring, the head and the rockarm. At its lower end the spring takes its abutment upon a pair of lock nuts 31 adjustable to predetermine the eiective action of the spring, and idle position of arms 30, these nuts being engaged on the threaded lower end of the rod 36 which in turn is attached below to a thrust projection or stud 38 mounted on the lower cross frame 9. When the knitting instruments cause extensive pull on the yarns, in each cycle, the lowering of the floating rod 29 causesthe compression of spring 34, subsequent relaxation of lpull allowing the spring again to restore the tension rod to a predetermined or neutral floating or working position. For symmetrical action the rockaxle 3i may have rockarms 33 at both ends,'each similarly pressed upwardly by a spring 34. v i

When the floating rod 29 -is in a neutral posi- A tion, with only light yarn tension. the drive clutch that'the bank of yarns can advance downwardly from the rear` side of the reel, passing thence around and under a polished yarn guide rod 28,

of the reel feed, preferably a slip or friction whichispi'eferably xed, and thence frontwardly 75 for. This relieves the needles and yarn each portion of yarn and provides a greater radius and leverage for the pull of the yarn on the reel. Instead of driving and retarding the reel shaft I6 directly upon its left end portion there is pref- Before describing the driving connections it is Y. convenient to describe the elements of the slip erably provided an intermediate driven shaft or sleeve, constituting for example a countershaft, shown as hollow to accommodate a driving shaft 15, constantly power-rotated, as will be described.

For speed reduction, the countersleeve 40 is provided with a gear 4I, shown as half the diameter of reel shaft gear 26 and meshing therewith; wherefore `the driven shaft 40 when in motion turns at twice the rotary speed of the reel shaft. As best shown in Figs. 2 and 4 the countershaft constitutes also a hub for a disk or drum 43, which takes part both in the braking and the driving f of the parallel shafts 40 and I6, the exterior rim or surface 44 of the disk being herein utilized as the braking surface, pulley or drum.

For braking and stopping the disk 43 andV thereby the driven and reel shafts, there is shown as a retarding means an opposite pair of friction shoes 46 bearing on the rim of theA disk 43. Each of these braking shoes may be of oating or pivoted character for equalized action, and spring positioned, in the manner to be more fully de-v scribed in connection with the clutch shoes. These braking shoes are mounted on a pair of swinging carriers shown as a long shoe-lever 41 at the rear and a short shoe-lever 48 at the front, so that by forcing toward each otherthe levers an increase of pressure and friction is imposedA on the drum or disk. The lower or free terminal ends of the shoe-levers are provided with adjustable contact piece a and b, facing inwardly toward the shipper device to be described which, by a swinging movement can thrust apart on the two contact pieces, their levers and the braking shoes. 'Ihe two brake shoe-levers 47 and 48 have rightwardly extending hubs 5I turning on a pair of fixed axle studs 52Vprojecting leftwardly from the cross wall Il) and connected and stiffened at their left extremities by a short bar or bridge piece 53; these elements serving also to accommodate the clutch shoe-lever hubs as will be described. By way of holding yieldingly against their disk or drum the opposite brake 'shoes 46, their front and rear carrier levers are shown inl has keyed to its left'end a collar 42, which terconnected by a cross spring 54, having a quite strong pull so as to serve as the brake applying spring, creating a pressure between theshoes and disk, subject to a relaxing action under control of the yarn tension rod 29 for reducing or effectively removing the braking pressure of the shoes. In practical operation it is not actually necessary to retract the brake shoes 46 out of contact with the disk 43, since their action is frictional, and mere vrelaxation of pressure suffices to permit power drive of the shafts 40 and I6, the brake 43, 46 being in that sense a slip brake. Similarly the drive action is by slip clutch, so that by the relative relaxation of Vthe clutch pressure the driving action may be operatively terminated while the slip brake is under operative frictional pressure. p

clutch I8, 62. l In axial alinement with and adjacent to the'brake disk 43. is shown a clutch drum or disk 68, which may rotate substantially freeely except when brought to rest by its shoes 62 as will be described. Thedisk 68 has its hub 69 loose on the interior drive'\ shaft I5 to be' described, and its periphery constitutes a braking rim or surface 6 0, as best shown in Figs. e and 5. To retard and stop the clutch disk 58 there is shown a. friction means consisting of the opposed shoes 62, best shown in Figs. 1 and 2, swingingly mounted on the respective clutch shoe-levers 63 at the rear and 64 at the front. The rear clutch shoe lever 63 is shown short and the front lever 64 long.- in a manner complementary to the arrangement of the brake shoe-levers 41 and 48. Fig. 1* throws light on the arrangement. The

clutch shoe-levers have their hubs 6l mounted v on the same pair of xed studs 52 with the hubs of the brake shoe-levers 41 and 4'8, all .coniined by the bridge piece 58.

The mounting of the several friction shoes on their swinging levers is shown as comprising a pivot 68 for each shoe and a pair of positioning spring devices 18, allowing tilting movements of equalization or self adaptation when the friction device is imposed or relaxed. The force tol apply the clutch shoes tothe disk 58 may be provided bythe strong helical spring 12 extending across from the rear to the front lever, similar to the brake-applying spring 54, with a threaded adjusting device 'I3 at the front end, to determine the frictional pressure of the shoes. All brake shoes `may have a brake lining or facing strip 'I4 of .ber material or the like; and a certain cus1fi.A

ioning may exist between the brake levers and disks so that operative pressure may be imposed or relaxed without need of actual removal of shoes from disk, thus obviating looseness and im proving smoothness of control.

Describing next the interior or driving shaft l5 and its connections, this may be the source of drive for the hollow driven or countershaft 40 and the reel shaft. I6 geared thereto; and the drive shaft is conveniently located within the shaft or sleeve '40, with means confining it against endwise movement comprising a collar 'I6 fast on,

its left end, in contact with the hub 59 of the free disk 58, and a collar 11 fast on its right end, constituting the hub of a gear 18, between which and the wall l0 is accommodated the gear 4| on the driven sleeve 48. l

With this invention the drive shaft 'I5 may be a constantly rotated shaft, dispensing with the need of a Geneva or other intermittent'motion. The power connections for rotating constantly the drive shaft I5 may commence with the power shaft I5,Fig. 3, being any convenient cam shaft of the knitting machine, and the intermediate gearing may provide speed reduction. Thus a small sprocket wheel 80 is shown mounted on the taut the long connecting chain 84.

58 to rest while the stopping brake shoes 46 are relatively relaxed to permit rotation of the countershaft 40, a drive connection is brought into play to communicate rotary motion from the drive shaft 15 to the driven countershaft or sleeve 40. A convenient means for this purpose is a gearing of the planetary type, operating between the driving shaft 15, the disk 58 and the` disk 43 on the driven shaft 40. Thus, there is shown a sun or centralgear 88 keyed to the drive shaft and surrounded by an internal or ring gear 89 mounted on the disk 58, and in meshA between these a setl of planet gears 90 turning on short studs 9| mounted on the disk 43. By this arrangement, the frictional retarding of the disk 58 tends to anchor the ring gear 89, so that the rotation of the sun gear 88 causes the' planet gears and their studs to planetate, that is, to rotate on their own axes while revolving about the general center, and thus causes the driven rotation of the disk 43 and countershaft, with a considerable reduction of rotary speed. in addition to the` other speed reductions already described as provided between the power shaft I and the reel shaft I6.

It remains to describe the means; operated through the controller or rockaxle 3|, and therefore indirectly from the needles and yarn, by way of the pilot 29, to impose and to relax respectively the operative pressures and frictions of the respective shoes 46 and 62 upon the respective disks 43 and 58 of the brake and clutch. The mechanism for this purpose may be designated a shipper device, in one position applying operatively .the drive to the driven shaft and reel shaft and in another position relatively releasing the drive or applying the brake. For this purpose a shipper lever or rocking beam 85 is shown, which may and action. Thebraking shoe levers 448 and 41 at front and rear are short and long respectively, so that their operating contacts, marked a and b respectively, may be actuated from the upper and lower arms 94 and 98 respectively of the shipper rocking beam. The lower arm 98, having to operate upon longer shoe levers, is shown of proportionately greater length than the upper arm 96. Likewise the clutching shoe levers 63 and 54 at rear and front are short and long so that their contacts c and d may be actuated by the upper andlower arms 86 and 98. The upper arm of the rocking beam carries a contact stud 91 parallel to the axle 3l and directly cooperating with the upper lever contacts aand c, while the lowex arm carries a similar contact stud 98 coacting directly with the lower contacts b and d.

With 'this arrangement, when the pull ofr the needles and yarns swings down the tension rod or pilotk 25 and rocks the axle 8l, clockwise in Figs. 1 and 1*,-the upper stud 91 of the shipper beam thrusts frontwardly on the contact aof the front brake lever 48. while the lower stud 99 thrusts rearwardly on the contact b of the rear brake lever 41, tending tospread or cam apart the opposed levers. This overcomes and relaxe's 4Fig. 1* shows in better detail the arrangement and 98 from the contacts c and d, the short and long levers 63 and 54 of the clutch shoes are allowed to approach, under the pull of their cross spring 12, thus retardlng or even stopping the disk 58, causing the clutch to preponderate over the brake, and throwing it into action to com municate drive from the driving shaft 15 through the planetary gearing 88, 88, 58 to the driven shaft 4l! and reel shaft l5.

Conversely, when during the knitting cycle the needles etc. release the demand for yarn, the slackening allows the tension rod 29 to rise, and the rockaxle 3l to turn counterclockwise, under the lifting pressure of the supporting springs 34, with the result that the braking shoes, pulled by their cross spring 54, are allowedto resume 0D- erative contact with their disk, while the clutch shoes are eventually thrust apart at least sufficiently effectively to discontinue the driving action or cause the braking effect to preponderate.,

Indeed, the reversal of preponderance between driving and braking need not await the change in the knitting cycle from pulling to slacking, since preferably the power drive of the reel gives a feed faster than the needles demand; so that a slight descent of the pilot may cause the feed to overrunv the call, with responsive slackening, rise of pilot and relative increase of braking and decrease of driving, followed soon by a reversal again, and so on, with an almost imperceptible oscillation or uttering of the pilot throughout its control of the yarn feed from the reel.

As already stated, due to the compressible braking material 14 between the friction shoes and their disks, and other yield between the shipper 94 and the shoes, namely through springs 18, the entire shifting action may be such that the shoes never actually leave contact with the disks but merely undergo changes between maximum and minimum degrees of pressure and friction, oppo-V The pressure and grip of each pair of shoes may y be imposed before that of the other pair iS removed, and in fact, during transition between driving and braking there may frequently occur slippage between both pairs of shoes and their respective disks. An important result of the action is that the needles and yarn are substantially relieved of having to advance the reel; at certain parts of the cycle, acting through the pilot tension rod, they rock the control axlel, and this rst causes the starting and driving of the reel before the yarns otherwise would have to do so, although it is true that the pull and tension upon the multiplicity of yarns extends to the reels and does cooperate to an appreciable but minor extent in performing each short advancing rotation of the supply-reel. r

The general action of this invention, whic connections give a speed tending to cause the I feed to overrun the pull caused by the needles,

bringing about a slight rise of the depressed pilot rod, decreasing the driving' and increasing the braking eiect on the reel; this being followed by a complementary reversal, and so forth. Thus the feed of' yarn, under its own feeding power follows', with an imperceptible fluttering action, the demand for yarn in each cycle. Of course, later in the cycle, when the rise of the needles tends to produce slack, the rise of the pilot imposes a state of non-drive, stopping the reel; and. the pilot control thus is a continuous control of the reel movements, both during drive and nondrive thereof; the driving clutch overpowering the brake during the power drive and later relinquishing action to the brake. 'I'he response of action to demand is sensitive and accurate, one following the other asa power-operated rudder follows the lever or wheel in the hands of a ships pilot.

The restoring spring 36 (or pair thereof) tends to lift or restore the front pilot 29 and its carrier, thus opposing the down-pull by the needles and yarn. The spring however need not be. and preferably is not, initially charged or compressed, but it is of predetermined characteristics and extended length, and is so initially adjusted that in the absence of appreciable pull by yarn on the pilot the latter will `be raised by the spring sufficiently to cause the brake to stop and hold stopped the reel. In these conditions no mechanical or positive stop is necessary to limit the upward restoring movements of spring and pilot, the latter never rising far enough to meet the rim of the reel ange i3, otherwise in the floats atop the long springs, and without yarn it rises upon this spring support until there is equilibrium, the spring then taking the weight of the parts, Awith corresponding compression. When the yarns have been applied and are under knitting tension the pilot will assume a substantially lower position, under increased strain or compression, and during actual yarn feed will vary slightly in its displaced position in the short oscillating manner already described.

In this sense the spring 34 is charged and under material working compression during knitting; and moreover its compression varies withv and so represents the yarn tension. The adjustment of the spring by its nuts 31 can thus be used to vary the yarn tension. Further, as the nuts 31 are for exam-ple lowered this alters the angle between the center line of the pilot lever arm and the direction of the pull of the yarn, and this alters the tensioning effect of the spring. Such adjustments are sometimes useful, if, for example it is found that with depletion of yarn on the supplyreel a slight change in yarntension is desirable.

It should be stated that the restoring spring 3d, when lifting the pilot and rocking counterclockwise the shipper lever 95, has 4sufficient thrust to overpower the cross spring 12 of the friction clutch, thus to relax the drive and permit the brake to stop the reel; while similarly the pull of the many needles and yarns is such that it can overpower the brake spring 54.

A special advantage of the described arrangement is that the brake shoe applying spring 5d and the clutch shoe applying spring 12 are in effect opposed to each other, namely, through the shipper 95, with the result that when the demand for yarn causes the swinging down of the pilot 29, opposed by the springrli as the brake shoe levers are pressed apart, the yarn is relieved of excess strain from having to overcome both rising path of movement. The pilot in a sense of the springs 34 and 54 due to the fact that the 'the reel. The combination of springs 84, 54 and 12 therefore cooperates continuously and effectively between the pilot rod 29 over which the yarns pass, and the respective pairs of shoes which control the driving, retarding, accelerating and stopping of the reel. Further, by the oating character of the several friction shoes, under pressure of their springs 10, it is feasible to avoid any loss of contact, not merely between the shoes and their drums or disks respectively, but also between the shipper contact rollers 01 and 99 and the cooperating lever contacts a, b, c and d; this arrangement being mechanically superior and avoiding gaps, impacts and wear, as well as shocks upon the yarn.

Various modifications of structure, arrangement and details of connections may naturally be made, within the intention of the improvement. As an example, instead of the clutch shoes or the brake shoes being applied by their own tension springs 12 and 5d, and only separated by the spreading action of the shipper or rocking lever 95, the rocking of the shipper might be utilized to draw together the shoes, by a simple reversal of arrangement, thereby to apply the clutch or the brake, preferably against the resistance of a separating spring.l As another example, a sometimes advantageous different pilot rod arrangement will be described upon Fig. 6.

Fig. 6 shows the following modification. Shipper control of only one pair of shoe levers is shown, the other omitted 4in this figure, since under certain conditions the one pair, especially the drive clutch shoes, may be sumcient to cause the necessary reversals between driving and braking of the reel and feed. Thus, for example, if the slip-brake be kept steadily in full effect, it is only necessary to operate the slip-clutch, by the action of the shipper on the levers t3, et, during certain parts of each cycle, to prevail over the brake, at other times to be overpowered by the brake. Their relative pressures, frictions and grips are what determine whetherV driving or braking will preponderate and be imposed on the reel. It is more satisfactory however to adjust one of the two, the clutch or brake, into effect while adjusting the other out of effect, as previously described, giving speedier response and more reliable control.

Fig. 6 shows another variation which increases sensitive response. Instead of the Figs. 1-2 arrangement of a front-armed vcarrier 30 for the displaceable pilot rod 2a, and a fixed yarn guide rod 20 vto the rear.' Fig. 6 shows a two-armed carrier or lever, the pilot rod |00 being carried on the front lever arms |06, while the rockaxle 3| has also rear lever arms i 02 carrying another movable guide rod |03. For this arrangement the rockaxle may be positioned further frontward, as shown, as about midway between the two rods, which are oppositely displaceable along the yarn path. For a given lowering of the pilot rod |00 the rear guide rod |03 rises by a. corresponding extent, so that the yarn y, passing from the reel under the rear and over the front rod, is doubly affected, in this case released to the needles in response to a pull tending to rock the axle 3|. In effect, there is a double pilot comprising front'and rear yarn guide rods |00 and |03, on a walking beam |0|| 02. The rockaxle 3|. as before, swings the shipper or rocking beam a down-pull on the yarn, opposed by the restoring spring 3d, rocking clockwise the shipper and relieving the separating thrust between the shoe levers, permitting the shoes 32 to press harder on the drum or disk 58 and thus imposing or enhancing the drive of v. tion.

the reel as needed to supply yarns to the knitting point.

The pilot action in Fig. 6 is therefore more sensitive, as a given tension pull on the yarns can deliver stronger mechanical action on arms and rockaxle; and mechanical over-motion is less likely. There also is less moment of inertia in the swinging pilot system since the radius of swing is reduced; and this renders more effective and smooth the control opera- By cooperatively displacing two pilot rods. oppositely along the yarn ow path, a multiplying action on the yarns is afforded while there is a dividing or reducing effect mechanically; and this also ailords weight compensation of the pilot rods, thereby eliminating the weight inertia or resistance of a single pilot rod such as is shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

There has thus been described a warp-knitting machine embodying the principles of the present invention; but inasmuch as many features of operation, combination, arrangement and construction may be variously modified without departing from the principles of the invention it is not intended to limit the same except to the extent set forth in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. In a warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel or supply from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, in combination: a resil iently displaceable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over it; a constant-speed power source.

for driving Vthe reel advancingly to feed the yarns; a frictional driving clutch means for the yarn reel; a frictional retarding brake means for the yarn reel; at least one of said frictional means comprising a disk and shoes bearing on the disk and a pair of sh'oe levers and spring means drawing together the levers to apply operatively the shoes, one of said levers being substantially longer than and extending atits free end beyond the other lever, and a shipper device comprising a pivoted member rocked by the displacement of the pilot and positioned between thelever ends to operate the two levers in coordination in a manner to cause th'e clutch drive to prevail over the brake with increased pull of the yarns and vice versa; said pivoted shipper having long and short lever arms cooperating respectively with the long and short shoe levers whereby to produce symmetrical operation of the two levers of each pair.

2. In a warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel or supply from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive .knitting cycles, in combination: a resiliently displaceable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over it; a constant-speed power source for driving the reel advancingly to feed the yarns; a frlctional driving clutch means for the yarn reel; a frictional retarding brake means for the yarn reel; each of said frictional means comprising a disk and shoes bearing on th'e disk and `a pair of shoe levers to impose and relax the pressure of the shoes on the disk, one of said levers in each pair being substantially longer than and extending at its free end beyond the other lever, and the two pairs of levers being arranged with the contact ends of the short levers in opposition and the contact ends of the long levers in opposition, and a rocking shipper device rocked by the displacement of the pilot and so positioned between the lever ends as to operate the two pairs of levers in coordination in a manner to spread the brake levers and cause the clutch drive to operate with increased pull of th'e yarns and to spread the clutch levers and cause the brake to operate with increased slack of the yarns; said pivoted shipper having long and short lever arms cooperating respectively with the long and short shoe levers whereby to produce symmetrical operation of the two levers of each pair.

3. In a warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, -in combination: continuously operating power mechanism for driving the reel/ advancingly to feed the yarns a resiliently displaceable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of th'e pull of the yarns flowing over it; a frictional drive-imposing-and-relaxing means and a frictional brake-imposing-and-re'- laxing means for the yarn reel, both under continuous frictional engagement but adapted for relative adjustment of friction and action; and a shipper device actuated by the displacement of the pilot and operative to impose further said first means and relax further said second means to cause the drive to prevail with increased pull of the yarns, and vice versa; said pilot guide rod being carried swingingly upon an axle parallel to the reel axis, and said shipper device being a rock lever swingable about an axis parallel to the reel axis and connected to, for swinging actuation from, said pilot axle, with' connections actuated by the rocking of the shipper to impose furth'er the drive friction means relatively to the brake friction means and vice versa.

4. In a warp-knitting machine having a ro tatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to ieed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, in combination: a resiliently displaceable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of the pull of th'e yarns flowing over it; a power source and connections for driving the reel advancingly to feed the yarns: a frictional drive-imposing means for the yarnreel operated from said power connections and a frictional brake-imposing means for the yarn reel. each of said frictionai means comprising drum and friction shoe, with a shoe-operating lever on which the shoe h'as a floating mounting and a spring cushioning means between lever and shoe whereby the shoe is maintained in continuous frictional resilient engagement throughout each cycle; and a shipper device operated by th'e displacement of the pilot to adjust relatively said two resilient frictional means to cause the continuous drive friction to prevail with increased pull of the yarns and the continuous brake friction to prevail with increased slack of the yarns, namely, by preponderanceeach over the other without drum and shoe losing friction contact; said power connections and drive-imposing means being adapted to drive th'e reel at a full speedsufficient to overfeed the yarn faster than the rate of yarn pull during the yarn feeding part of each cycle, whereby during such feeding part of the cycle the feed from the reel may overtake the pull of the needles, causing momentary slack and partial return of pilot and reduced feed, followed again by increased feed, and repeat; so that th'e pilot undergoes a short range of oscillation andthe varying feed rate keeps pace with the demand for yarn; both frictional means being adapted to be operated with continuously engaged friction slip clutch means K for imposing variably on the reel in each knitting cycle a power-driving action adapted at maximum to overfeed faster than demanded by the pull of the needles during the feeding part of the cycle, and a continuously engaged,friction slip brake means for alternately therewithimposing a retarding action upon the reel, `each of said friction means having a drum, a shoe bearing on the drum and a shoe operating lever, the shoe having a floating mounting on the lever, with resilient spring cushion means by which each shoe is maintained in continuous friction engagement with its drums subject to variable slippage throughout each cycle; and control means for methodically controlling said driving and braking means and actions from said pilot by causing the needle-pulling displacement of the pilot rto impose increasingly the friction clutch' and driving action and by causing the return of the pilot to relax relatively the driving action and thereby impose relatively the braking action, such control means operating by varying the tween the levers and drum such as to maintain the shoes in variable continuous pressure upon the drum; and the shipper device being so arranged as to th'rust spreadingly on the brakeimposing shoe levers and reduce the braking pressurelwhen the yarn pull causes the lowering of the pilot, and vice versa; and a long supporting spring for the weight of the pilot and the pull of the yarns thereon.

8. In a warp-knitting machine having `a rotatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycle, in combination: a resiliently yieldable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over it, and having a primary supporting spring taking the tension pull of the yarns, a frictional drive-impos' ing-and-relaxing means and a frictional brakeimposing-and-relaxing means for the yarn reel,

both under continuous frictional engagement but adapted for relative adjustment of friction and action; and a shipper device swingable by th'e displacement of the pilot and operative autopreponderance of the resilient frictional presand wherein both friction means have theirv spring-applied continuous friction pressures varied by the pilot-.controlled adjustment, namely, each having its spring pressure and action re laxed as the other is increased.

'7. In a warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel from which' the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycle, in combination: a resiliently displaceable pilot or yarn guide rod responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over it; a frictional drive-imposing-and-relaxlng means and a frictional brake-imposing-and-relaxing means for the yarn reel, both under continuous frictional engagement but adapted `for relative adjustment of friction and' resulting action; and a shipper device actuated by the displacement of the pilot and operative automatically to impose further said first means and relax further said second means to cause the drive to prevail with increased pull of th'e yarns, and vice versa; each frictional means comprising a drum and an opposed pair of shoes bearing continuously on it and a pair of shoe levers to operate the shoes and cross spring means between the levers of each pair to press the shoes continuously upon the drum, and the shoes having floating mountings upon their levers with cushioning means bematically during swing in one direction to impose further said first frictional means and relax fur? ther' said second frictional means to cause the drive to prevail with increased pull of the yarns, and vice versa; each frictional means comprising a drum and an opposed pair of shoes bearing continuously on the drum and an opposite pair of shoe levers to operate the shoes with' a continuously tensioned elongated cross-spring from lever to lever to press `the shoes upon the drum, the two cross-springs being mutually opposed through the continuous connection of their shoe levers with th'e shipper device, and the shipper device being arranged to cause spreading of the brake shoe'1evers and permit approach of the drive shoe levers when the yarn pull causes yielding of the pilotv and vice versa;' whereby in any shipper operation for increased drive or for retardation of the yarn reel one of such cross springs is distended wh'ile the other cross spring byits accompanying contraction aids in such distension, thus minimizing the imposing of additional load on the pilot and disturbance of the primary control of the operation thereof; and there being spring cushioning `means between each shoe and its leveradapted t0 maintain the shoe always in frictional contact with' the drum under pressure varying with the movement of the lever.

9. In a warp-knitting machine in combination with the yarn reel, a yarn guide rod having a 7 supporting spring by which the guide rod can yield responsively to variations in yarn tension in each cycle, means for imposing and relaxing power drive ofthe reel comprising a drum having opposed friction shoes bearing continuously thereon and an opposite pair of shoe levers with a tensioned cross-spring pulling the levers toward each other to impose friction and drive ofthe reel, means for imposing and relaxing a braking action of the reel comprising va drum having opposed friction shoes bearing continuously therey on and an opposite pair of sh'oe levers with a ten sioncd cross-spring pulling the levers toward each other-to impose friction and braking of the reel, a movable shipper de lice operated by the varying movements of the guide rod inl each cycle adapted automatically with increase of yarn tension to thrust apart the braking shoe levers while permitting approach' of the driving shoe levers thereby' to impose increased drive of i the reel, and vice versa, the two `cross-springs beother cross-spring, and vice versa; each" friction J0 shoe having a floating mounting on its lever and associated therewith a resilient spring cushioning means adapted to maintain the shoe in continuous contact and frictional pressure upon the drum throughout the outthrusting and returning movements of th'e lever, while the pressure and frictional action vary to alter progressively the imposition and relaxation of the driving and braking actions respectively upon the yarn reel.

10. In a warp-knitting machine having a ro- 2o `tatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, in combination: continuously operating power mechanism for driving the reel advancingly to feed the yarns; a resiliently displaceable pilot or yarn guide means responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over it;

a frlctionai drive-imposing-and-relaxing means and a frictional brake-imposing-and-relaxing means for th'e yarn reel, both under continuous 30 frictional engagement but adapted for relative adjustment of friction and action; and a shipper device actuated by the. displacement of the pilot and operative to impose further` said first means and relax further said second means to cause the drive to prevail with increased pull of the yarns, and vice versa; the pilot comprising a rst yarn guide rod mounted at thel free end of the first arm of a two-armed carrier lever, the second arm swinging up when the first arm swings down,

` the second arm carrying a second yarn guide rod under which the yarns may advance in traveling from the reel tothe first rod; whereby the effect of such swinging is effectively multiplied. l

11. In a warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, in combination: a resiliently displaceabie pilot or yarn guide means responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns owing over it; adjustable means for controlling the yarn feeding rotation of the reel, with connections from the pilot to said controlling means operative in each knitting cycle to adjust the controlling means and yarn feed in accordance with the varying demand for yarn, the pilot comprising a first yarn guide rod mounted upon the first arm of a two-armed swinging carrier, the second arm thereof swinging oppositely to the first arm, and the second arm carrying a second yarn guide rod around which the yarns may advance in traveling from the reel to and around the first rod; whereby the eifect'of such swinging is effectively multiplied.

12. In a warp-knitting machine having reel rotation control means for varying the feed of yarn during each cycle, a pilot connected for operating said control means; said pilot comprising a two-armed carrier lever with yarn guide rods warp reel, and a yarneguiding movable pilot:

means for controlling the yarn feeding movements of the reel including at least one friction shoe carried on a lever and pressing continuously upon the drum and operable in each cycle by moving the lever to impose increase of shoe friction pressure upon the drum and thereafter to relax such friction, and means under pilot control from the yarns passing from reel to knitting point and adapted automatically to cause in each cycle such friction imposing and relaxing actions; and characterized in that the friction shoe is bodily relatively movable on its lever and has a thrusting spring means between the lever and shoe with an action holding the shoe continuously upon the drum,` under variable pressure and friction, as the lever is moved toward and from the disk.

14. A warp-knitting machine as in claim i3 and wherein the friction shoe has a floating mounting upon its lever, and its thrusting spring is of such substantial strength and short length as to respond promptly to friction-imposing and relaxing movements of the lever without discontinuing the frictional pressure of shoe upon drum.

l5. A warp-knitting machine as in claim 13 and wherein are two opposed levers each with oating shoe mounted on 'it by short strong spring means between lever and shoe, whereby the opposed shoes respond immediately to' the friction imposing and relaxing movements of the levers withoutV discontinuing the frictional pressure of the shoes upon the drum.

16. A warp-knitting machine as in claim 13 and wherein is a cross spring urging the shoe lever in a direction to impose friction action,

and adapted to be overcome by the pilot control to relax such action; and the pilot control means comprises a long supporting spring which resists the shift of the pilot means under the tension of the yarn.

1'?. A warp-knitting machine as in claim 13 and wherein are opposite shoe levers each with a shoe spring-mounted on it for bodily relative movement, with a cross spring urging the two levers toward the drum but adapted to be overcome by the pilot control to relax the continuous frictional pressure of the opposite shoes upon the drum; and the pilot control means comprises a long supporting spring which resists the shift of the pilot under the tension of the yarn.

18. A warp-knitting machine as in claim 13 and wherein are both friction driving means and friction braking means. each comprising a drum and at least one shoe and one lever, with resilient mounting means causing continuous friction engagement of the shoes upon the drums throughout each knitting cycle.

19. A warp-knitting machine as in claimv 13 and wherein the feed controlling means is a friction clutch device for driving the reel.l and comprises a drum and a pair of friction shoes bearing thereon and levers carrying the shoes, with spring-mounting means between each of said levers and its shoe. thereby causing continuous friction engagement of the clutch device shoes upon the drum throughout the feeding period of each cycle.

upon both arms thereof, whereby the yarns passing from the reel to the knitting point may be passed under one guide rod and over the other rod for doublel effect in th swinging of the carrier lever.

13. In a warp-knitting machine having a ro- 2f). A Warp-knitting machine as in claim 13 and wherein the feed controllinrl.r means is a friction brake device for retarding the reel, and comprises a. drum and a pair of friction shoes bearing thereon and levers carrying the shoes, with spring mounting means between each of said levers ,and its shoe, thereby causing continuous friction en- I gagenient of the brake device. shoes upon the drum throughout the feeding period of each cycle.

21. A warp-knitting machine having a rotatable reel from which the warp yarns are supplied to feed the banks of needles for successive knitting cycles, and power mechanism for drivingthe reel advancingly to feed the yarns, and a resiliently displaceable yarn-tensioning pilot responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns flowing over' it, and comprising in combination therewith: a frictional drive-imposing-and-relaxing means for driving, and a cooperating frictional brake-imposing-and-relaxing means for retarding, the yarn reel, both being under continuous frictional engagement with slippage but adapted for relative adjustment of friction and action; and a shipper actuated by the displacement and return movements of the pilot and having connections automatically operative to impose further said first friction means and simultaneously to relax further. said second friction means to cause preponderance in drive action with pilot .displacement due to'increased pull of the yarns, and vice versa; each friction means comprising a drum turning with the reel, friction shoes bearing upon the drum, levers carrying the shoes, floating mountings for the shoes on the levers, cushion springs between the levers and shoes pressing the shoes continuously against the drum, and lever springs means to which said shoe cushion springs are opposed, and the levers being connected for operation from the shipper.

22. A warp-knitting machine having. a rotatable warp reel and power mechanism for ldriving the reel to feed the yarns, and a yarn-tensioning pilot responsive to variations of the pull of the yarns owing over it, and comprising, in combination therewith: a friction clutch means for driving and each other through their separate connections with the shipper, whereby to avoid substantial im-v pairment of the constancy of the yarn tension produced by the pilot spring.

23. In a warp-knitting machine, in combination with the rotatable warp reel and the displaceable `pilot rodl over which the yarns travel from the reel to the knitting point, the pilot having a pilot spring resisting its displacement by the pull of the yarns and determining the yarn tension; a clutch drum and a brake drum both turning with the reel and respectively adapted when slowed to impose driving and retarding action upon the reel; and for each drum a pair of opposite friction shoes carried by an opposite pair of shoe levers, each shoe being bodily movable o-n its lever so that it may retain friction engagement with its drum when its lever is retracted outwardly and with a shoe spring or resilient cushion between each shoe and its lever and thrusting the shoe with continuous engagement but variable friction pressure upon the drum; each lever pair having a lever spring or resilient means forcing or pulling toward each other the opposite levers with strength to overpower the resisting shoe springs and cause operative pressure of the shoe pair upon the drum; a shiftable or rocking shipper device having connections from the pilot to shift the shipper in opposite directions in accordance with'the displacement and return movements of the pilot as' produced by the variable pull oi the yarns and the resistance of the pilot spring; connections from the shipper to the clutch lever pair adapted to retract outwardly the levers thereof and thereby relax the a cooperating friction brake means for retarding the reel, each being under continuous frictional engagement but adapted for adjustment of friction and action; and a rocking shipper actuated i by the displacement and return movements of the pilot to impose further saidclutch means and simultaneously to relax further said brake means; each of said friction means comprising a drum turning with the reel,friction shoes bearing on the drum, a pair of opposite levers carrying the shoes, floating mountings for the shoes on the levers, shoe springs between the shoes and levers pressing the shoes against the drum and pressing out-v wards the levers, and a stronger lever spring drawing the levers inwards toward each other, the shoe lever pair being connected with the shipper for the shipper to cause outward spreading movements of the levers opposed by the lev`er spring but aided by the shoe springs; the pilot having a supporting and yarn-tensioning pilot spring giving resilient resistance to pilot displacement; and the lever springs for the clutch means and brake means respectively being mutually opposed to pressure and friction of the clutch shoes on the drum when the shipper is shifted by a return movement of the pilot and vice versa; and sepav with slippage of shoes upon one or both of said drums, and the reel rotation for yarn feed is varied by the preponderance of the'frictional shoe pres-I,

sure upon one over that upon the other drum, with acceleration and increased reel rotation and yarn feed when higher yarn pull displaces the pilot and through the` shipper causes increase of friction pressure on the clutch drum and decrease on' the brake drum andvice versa; and whereby through the different connections from the respective lever` y pairs to the shipper the lever springs are in mutual opposition thus minimizing reaction therefrom to and interference with the maintenance of 'substantially steady yarn tension by the action of Athe pilot spring.

ANTHONY F. FIORENTNO. 

